Label inserting apparatus



Sept. 29, 1959 B. l.. PoLKosNlK 2,906,425

a f LABEL INSERTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2, 1958 6 f 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wir Sept. 29, 1959 B. l.. PoLKosNlK- 2,906,425

LABEL INSERTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2, 1958 2 Shasta-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BERNARD L. POLKoSNlK- TTORNE Y United States LABEL INSERTIN G APPARATUS Application October 2, 1958, Serial No. 764,896

5 Claims. (Cl. 216-9) This invention relates to an lapparatus for inserting labels between paper or sheets in wrapped packages of calendar pad rells or the like.

Calendar stands or bases have various types of sheet securing means and it is essential in each instance that the user obtain a refill of particular size and hole punching to lit. his base if satisfactory results are to be obtained. These refill sheets are generally packaged by the manufacturer in a wrapping of transparent or nontransparent sheet material, the edge'sof which are sealed so it is impossible to gain access to the sheets without destroying or at least mutilati-ng the wrapper, thus reducing its sales appeal.

An important object ofthe present' invention is to provide a small and inexpensive apparatusv which enahels the retail dealer to insert his card or label between two of the sheets, usually in the section near the end of the year in the case of' calendar pads without, however, de stroying the plastic wrapper beyond cutting an unobtrusive slot in the side wall as the gummed label is i11- serted. rFhis enables the user of the pad tov have his attention called tothe need for purchasing a new pad for the ensuing year and also advising where hel may' purchasel the particular refill' suitable for his base;

Another obiect of thev invention is to provide a label inserting device for wrapped" sheets of paper wherein the cutting element for piercing the" side wall of the Wrapper is effectively guarded against` accidental injury tor the user of the apparatus or to lanother person simply.` Working in the area of the apparatus.

A further object ofthe invention isrto" provide means for neatly cutting a slot in the' sidewall of the wrapper for the sheets andL for carrying the' l'abel; with its pres*- sure sensitive adhesive face, intolt-hespacebetween two sheets as the cutting is effectedg and forl automatically causing adhesion ofthe label tothe sheet as' the knife is withdrawn.

In accordance withA the present inventionA the labels with pressure sensitive adhesive on their lower facesV are mounted on a weby or't'ape suitably coatedto permit ready release of the labels from thel carrier tape and this tape extends around the forward edge of a slide-barwith` the rst label in the row off assembled' labelsv positioned substantially at saidf forward edge.. A cuttingl knife'carriedl by the frame cutsv a: neat` incisionor slot inthe side wall off the wrapper and-fthe knife i`s-moved onnt'o the interior of the packager a's the latter isv pushed against the knife, which is stationary;

The tape isnowfdrawm rearwardly and'y this causes' thev slide, bar to retract out-,of the package. The readyre-v lease of theadhesive bond betweenlabel'v andf'tapecauses the label tobeV left inside the adjoining sheets andthe weight of the slieetsabove theY label, acting against* an arched spring pressure platerproduces the d'esi'rediad hesioni. Iny otherwords; moving the slide'barl and? tape rearwardly causes the tape to= peel olf" the labelwhich remains'l flat: so;` that itt must: adhere'to the nearestA available surface: which: isfthcalower.v sheet in: the pad.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus of the pres= ent invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the opposite side thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan View. l

Fig. 4 is a broken plan View of a plurality of the adhesive labels mounted on the lflexible carrier` strip.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5'-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6- is a central longitudinal section taken through the apparatus. A

Fig. 7 is a broken section taken on line 7-7 of Fig.y 6.

Fig. 8 is a broken section taken through a calendar pad or similar article wrapped with transparent' or other material and showing a label in inserted position between the leaves by employing the machine of the present invention.

Parts of the apparatus of the present invention are mounted on a U-shaped bracket 10 arranged to be se cured on the "rear edge of a narrow table or other horizontal support by means of a screw securing device 11. The upper leg 1.2 of the bracket carries on its lower face an elongated base plate 13 and is provided at its forward or free end with a raised section I4 having a downwardly curved terminalV edge 15.

AI generally U-shaped shallow channelr 16 is secured I to the upper face of part 12v and a main frame 20 of U-shape and comprising spaced bars extends forwardly from channel 16 and is mounted therein for pivotal movement by'means of a-pin 21. B'y mounting the frame so that its lower edge is,for example, about g inch from the basel wallr of the channel, the latter limits up and. down movement of the outer or forward end of the frame. The tape comprises a web or carrier tape having a coated surface on which a plurality of individual gummed labels 23 are carried, the adhesive preferably being of the pressure sensitive variety of a character which permits ready release of the individual labels from the coated carrier tape. In other words, the adhesive is' a normally tacky one which more or less permanently adheres toordinary paper immediately on contact. The surface of the carrier tape isr such, however, as to permit the gummed labels to be readily released-l therefrom. It is preferred to have the labels separately formed and then applied to the carrier tape, or at least to cut them to individual lengths as they' are being applied tothe tape. In Figs. 4 and 5V the labelsZS' are shown las being in abutting relation.

The' U'shaped frame 20 carries a magazine-forl the roll 24 ofthe tape and applied'label's andv this magazine includesspaced side plates 25 secured" tothe two barsV of the frame.v The plates have aligned' Vertical slots 26 extending. downwardly from their upper edges and a spindle 27 which supports the roll is received at the lower end of the slots. The magazine further includesv a U-shaped channel 30 whose opposed walls 315 lare secured as by'welding tothe opposed plates near the lower ends thereof. At their forward endsf the opposed walls 3:1' ofl the channel are cut away and the lower wall is curved downwardly as shown at 32 and the tapev passes forwardly over this inclined surface,

At its front the magazine-is closed yby a platev 34 hinged at 35"' and terminating at its lower end in a forwardly curvedvsection 36.- A spring 40u`rges the freefend of the plate' rearwardly and forward travel'of-the platefis-limited byastop 41". n

Ait its'fo'rward end the bifurcat'ed frame 20 is providedl with horizontal slots 42 which receive a knife 43 secured therein, and'provided with a' chevron shapedlcuttingedge 4'42v The lraised' platform 14 underlies all partsrof the cutting edge andaifords protection against' accidental injury. It` will? also be noted thatl the'for'wardI edges of the bars are.v curved asshown at 45 i above and belowtlie' knife.

This contour separates the sheets of the package as the knife passes into the interior area between two adjoining sheets, making room for the slide bar now to be described. Another advantage of this construction resides in the fact that the knife makes a clear incision in the side wall of the wrapper without any jagged edges.

rThe opposed bars of frame members 20 (Fig. 7) form trackways for the slide bar which consists of anupper plate 50 having upwardly extending flanges 51 riding on the upper edges of the bars 20 and a lower plate 52 having flanges 53 riding on the lower edges of the bars. Rivets 54 secure the plates together. Upper plate 50, which is the main component of the slide bar, has a lateral extension 55 forming a handle for moving it forwardly. A fixed finger plate 56 carried by one side plate may be engaged by the thumb of the user while the index finger engages the handle 55 to draw the latter and the slide bar forwardly until the slide bar contacts a fixed pin 59 acting as a forward stop. When in its forward position (Fig. 6) the front end 57 of the slide bar is positioned one inch or more from the forward end of the knife. For the purpose of causing tape 22 with its attached labels to lie relatively fiat on the slide bar an upwardly arched spring plate 60 pivoted on a pin 61 extending between frame members 20 overlies the tape and the latter extends around this forward terminal of the slide bar and then rearwa-rdly between the frames and under pivot pin 21. It may be noted Vthat in Fig. 6 this spring plate is shown in full lines in lowered position and in broken lines in raised position. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, however, it is shown in raised position.

To operate the apparatus the slide bar is moved forwardly to the position described above and the free end of tape 22 is then pulled until the front edge section 23 of the leading label 23 is co-extensive with but does not extend beyond the front end 57 of the slide bar. The film-wrapped package 64 of sheets is now placed alongside the knife and is moved rearwardly perpendicular to elongated frame Z until it contacts pin 61 which acts as a stop.

The free end 22' of the tape is now pulled rearwardly which also causes the slide bar to move rearwardly, since the bar is more freely slidable than is the tape from the roll. This action is continued until the slide bar encounters a rear stop 59. During this rearward travel the tape is peeled off the label which maintains its generally horizontal position and is thus left otherwise unsupported between the two sheets of paper and the adhesive on its lower face causes it to adhere to the lowermost sheet.

Arched spring plate 60 also aids in holding the label downwardly and promoting adhesion. The package is then moved to the right as in Fig. 6 and the operation isl complete. It will be apparent from the foregoing that if the leading edge 23' of the label were initially positioned in advance of forward end 57 of the slide bar this edge would tend to wrap around the tape during travel of the slide bar into the interior area between the sheets and the peeling action would be frustrated. v It will be noted that the knife is positioned slightl above the raised platform on the base plate. In the case of calendar pads this distance may be about 1A inch so that the label will be inserted in the sheets during about the last two months of the calendar year. In the event,

therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defnedin the appended claims, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for inserting gummed labels, which are releasably mounted on a carrier tape, between two sheets of a wrapped pad of sheets, the combination of an elongated frame, a slide bar mounted for travel longitudinally of the frame, means for supporting a roll of the carrier tape with the labels thereon above the frame, said tape extending over the front edge of the slide bar and then rearwardly, and a cutting knife at the forward end of the frame arranged to cut a slot in a side Awall of the wrapper for the pad and enable the knife and the slide bar, when in a forward position, to enter an area between two sheets, whereby when the free end of the tape is drawn rearwardly, carrying the slide bar with it, the tape is peeled from the label and the label is deposited on one of the sheets in said area.

2. In an apparatus for inserting gummed labels, which are releasably mounted on a carrier tape, between two sheets of a wrapped pad of sheets, the combination of an elongated frame xcd at its rear end, a slide bar mounted for travel longitudinally of the frame, means for supporting a roll of the carrier tape with the labels thereon above the frame, said tape extending over the front edge of the slide bar and then rearwardly, and a cutting knife at the forward end of the frame arranged to cut a Slot in a side wall of the wrapper for the pad and enable the knife and the slide. bar to enter an area between two sheets, whereby when the free end of the tape is drawn rearwardly, carrying with it the slide bar, the tape is peeled from the label and the label is deposited on one of the sheets in said area.

3. In an apparatus for inserting gummed labels, which are releasably mounted on a carrier tape, between two sheets of a wrapped pad of sheets, the combination of an elongated frame, a base extending from the rear end of the frame, a slide bar mounted for travel longitudinally of the frame, means for supporting a roll of the carrier tape with the labels thereon above the frame, said tape extending over the front edge of the slide bar and then rearwardly of the frame while the slide ybar is in a forward position and the front edge of the first label on the tape is co-extensive with the forward edge of the tape, and

- a cutting knife at the forward end of the frame arranged to cut a slot in a side wall of the wrapper 'fo-r the pad and enable the knife and the slide bar when in said forward position to enter an area between two sheets, whereby when the free end of the tape is drawn rearwardly,

" carrying with it the slide bar, the tape is peeled from however, that the label is to be inserted closer to the top of the stack of sheets, the knife frame 20 should be modified so as to have a higher elevation than that shown in Fig. 1. The magazine can also be modified considerably, the principal consideration being to preserve the generally flat condition of the labels as the tape unwinds from the roll.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. It is the label and the label is deposited on one of the sheets in said area.

4. In an apparatus for inserting gummed labels releasably mounted on a carrier tape between two sheets of a wrapped pad of sheets, the combination of a frame fixed at its rear end and provided with a horizontal knife at its front end arranged to cut a slot in a side wall of the wrapper for the pad, a base extending forwardly from the rear end of the frame and provided with a raised platform underlying the knife, a Slide bar mounted on the frame and being movable towards and away from the knife, the tape extending around the forward end of said bar and then rearwardly whereby, when the slide bar is in its yforward position and a label on the tape has its forward edge generally co-extensive with said forward edge of the slide bar, the knife and slide bar may enter the area between two sheets and when the tape and slide bar are moved rearwardly the tape will be peeled from the label and deposited on one of the sheets.

5. In an apparatus for inserting gummed labels between two sheets of a wrapped pad of sheets, the com- 5 bination of a frame pivotally supported at one end thereof and extending forwardly of said end, a horizontal knife mounted at the opposite end of the frame and arranged to cut a slot in a side wall of the wrapper for the drawn rearwardly until the forward edge of one label extends to the forward end of the slide bar and the bar and knife are inserted into the package between two sheets, the label will be deposited on one of the sheets pad, a bar mounted for sliding movement on the frame 5 as the free end 0f the tape iS drawn rearwardlyand whose forward end travels into the area between said two Sheets after the side wall slot has been cut, carrying `with it a tape extending around said Iforward end and on References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,207,930 Miller July 16, 1940 2,222,611 Freeman Nov. 26, 1940 2,484,880 Flood Oct. 18,1949 2,802,598 Peterson Aug. 13, 1957 

